Booktalk., What book to choose? Options

[GlamorousSky]

Earlier last month, my school gave me (and several other students) a job: To give a book talk the following year.

The thing is, I'm not comfortable with talking in front of large crowds.

Neither do I have any idea what book to pick...

Any tips?

[MissHygienic]

Well, a common strategy for people who don't like public speaking is to look at the very back of the room or focus on a wall, so that you're not looking at people's faces. However, I think once you get up there, you're going to start looking at people's faces, anyway.

Another confidence booster is to pound that speech into your head and be fluent in your speech about your book. Once you're not stuttering to find your words or panic about your notecards, you'll feel much better.

Do you talk about any book you want? If that's the case, that's pretty broad. If I were you, I'd pick a book that has enough information so that you can go on and on about it, boring the hell out of people, but still doing your job. Here are my suggestions, in order:

1.) The Picture of Dorian Gray
2.) Brave New World
3.) The Sound and the Fury
3.) 1984/Animal Farm
4.) Lord of the Flies
5.) Grapes of Wrath
6.) Fahrenheit 451

You can also talk about the ever-so-popular Harry Potter books. . .? But that sounds like a cheap shot.